How to make dual-classing fair???

[Tom]

I have always found the dual classing obtion strange.

How do we square it with role-playing?

It is clear i think that there should be an option to dual class and that it should be available to all races.

One problem i have with dual classing is that a charecter loses all his former skills while is leveling out in his new class - Why?????

Spanker the warrior one day decides to become a mage - fine why not. But should he as a 1 level mage run out of spells he is completly incapable of touching the twohanded sword in his backpack that could save him

I also think that dual-classing is too powerfull.

One way to deal with both problems is to make the charecter gradualy lose 33% of his xp as his other class rises to equal level. This would represent that he is no longer at his best because he is not using his skills to the same extent. At the same time however he would still be able to use his fighter skills as there is no real reason why he should lose these skills for an extended period.

Dual classing is good. In the real world we can imagine an olympic gymnast becoming a computer programmer. But i ask you what would happen to his skills???

Weeelll ... there you have one suggestion - How do you like it?

[fable]

@Tom, I'm afraid I don't understand your problem with dual-classing as it currently exists. It isn't created primarily to assist role-playing; if it had been, you'd probably have to visit some guild, perform some quests, and take forever to rise as you went through a "trial period."

Dual-classing is essentially a tool for players who want to simply move from one class to another at some point in a game, rather than slowing experience gains by multi-classing. It seems pretty well-balanced in most respects to me, or at any rate, a good deal of fun.

If you want roleplaying, I don't think you'll find the kind of depth you seek in standalone games. You might want to check some of the online ones, where you can really immerse yourself in a complete role.

[Drakron Du´Dark]

O.K.
First demihumans can multiclass with very low requirements.
Dual class is very powerful but also rare, do you think that the DM lets you rerolling until you get the stats you like? or remove points from one stat to another?
No, he does not, you could roll once or twice but that it.
To dual you need 16 on the active class stat and 18 on the class you want to dual stat, rare to get those in PnP, if you got 16 on you class stats you sould be happy.
In dual, he is stoping to be a fighter to be a mage, he cannot return to be a fighter and gain levels as fighter.
Dual is in PnP as a lure to play as human, demihumans can multiclass if humans could not have more that one class people would play as demihumans seeing that they have a lot of advantages.

[Tom]

Fable

First of all i agree with you that dual classing is a means of moving from one class to another quickly.
But what i propose is not complicated and a player could move just as fast from one class to another without the unrealistic loss of skills.

I think that we should try to make the rules not only fair but also realistic - within the context of the AD&D world of course.

Drakon
Everything you have mentioned is true, i think, but I am not sure whether you think Dual classing is fine as it is or if you think it should be improved.

In PNP roleplaying there was always atemps of power play which is fine but in BG2 especialy the high levels have made the problems worse. As you also mention - in BG2 you can reroll as mena times as you wish.

Thanks for commenting
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If god is all powerfull, all good and all knowing why do pepol pray to him to change the world? Surely he wont change mind?

[Bruce Lee]

The problem is solved in 3rd edition. There is no transition time and levels cost as much xp whether you dual or not. In other words a level 10 fighter has as much xp as a level 5 mage and level 5 fighter. Each time you level up you pick which class you want to level up with. It is a very good system.